As of: January 18, 2024, 5:29 p.m
By: Franziska Schwarz
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The Green Agriculture Minister draws a positive conclusion despite farmers' protests.
He sees fellow politicians like Hubert Aiwanger as brakes.
Berlin – Everyone understands what currywurst is all about.
Against the background of the nationwide farmers' protests, Cem Özdemir also likes to use it as a symbol.
The Green politician now appealed to the opposition and the traffic light partners to ignore resistance to reforms in agriculture.
“If the currywurst becomes a few cents more expensive, then there is a great fear of a shitstorm,” he said in the Bundestag this Thursday.
In his opinion, an “animal welfare levy” should not fail because of such concerns.
Federal Agriculture Minister Özdemir put it similarly in an interview with the
Saarbrücker Zeitung
, but he then also included Hubert Aiwanger, head of the Free Voters.
“Mr Aiwanger, who otherwise sees himself as a friend of agriculture, is already eagerly arguing against more money for our German animal husbandry,” said Özdemir.
But no one has to worry about no longer being able to afford the currywurst.
“If the currywurst becomes a few cents more expensive, then the fear of a shitstorm is great,” says Cem Özdemir.
© Carsten Koall/dpa/Schöning/Imago/Montage:IPPEN.MEDIA
Agricultural diesel: Özdemir praises “successful fight” against austerity plans
The main topic of the interview with the
Saarbrücker Zeitung
was agricultural diesel.
“The original austerity plans had an excessive impact on agriculture,” said Özdemir, referring to the farmers’ protests that were sparked by the planned subsidy cuts.
“I have therefore fought decisively and successfully to ensure that this does not happen,” he said.
In December there was a heated argument in the traffic light coalition about responsibility for the planned removal of the agricultural diesel subsidy.
The FDP accused Agriculture Minister Özdemir of having suggested this himself - the Agriculture Ministry denied it and explained that the FDP-led Finance Ministry was responsible, AFP
reported
.
Özdemir wants to encourage farmers – “Someone has to pay for their effort”
Özdemir is currently promoting cross-party solutions to achieve better conditions for the industry.
The farmers could protect the climate, nature and animals and at the same time produce high-quality food.
“But someone has to pay for the effort,” he said in the Bundestag.
There, government and opposition factions debated agricultural policy for around two hours.
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Özdemir - the most popular Green politician in times of farmers' protests - again called for a tax on meat and meat products, the income from which would be used to support farmers in converting their stables.
It is only a “few cents per kilo more”.
With his proposal, he is building on what a commission set up by Union Minister Julia Klöckner (CDU) has developed and on the recommendations of the citizens' assembly convened by the government.
(frs with AFP)